The 2024 Southern Hills Athletic Conference Girls Golf champions, the West Union Lady Dragons. From left, Coach Emily McCarty, Emmy Stapleton, Olivia Lewis, Nina McCann, Annabelle McIntosh, Eva DeMint and Coach Marci Nehus. (Photo courtesy of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference)
Lewis, McCann tie for individual championship
The North Adams Lady Devils were runners-up in last week’s SHAC Girls Golf Tournament. From left, Coach Brandon Grooms, Emmy Holt, Brooklyn Mahan, Lilly Parker, Leah Caldwell and Madison Marshall. (Photo courtesy of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference)
The 2024 SHAC All-Conference Girls Golf Team. In no particular order, Peyton Hayslip- Manchester, Emmy Caudill- Fairfield , Eva DeMint- West Union. Kelsie Crowder- Fairfield,Annabelle McIntosh- West Union, Emmy Stapleton- West Union, Alyssa Smalley- Peebles, Emmy Holt- North Adams, C0- Golfers of the Year- Olivia Lewis and Nina McCann- West Union.(Photo courtesy of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
After finishing as rummer-up in 2023, Coach Marci Nehus and her West Union Lady Dragons ascended to the top of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference this season. In the 18-hole SHAC Girls Tournament, played on September 11 at Buckeye Hills and September 17 at Hilltop, the Lady Dragons ran away with the title, defeating second place North Adams by a total of 48 strokes, after leading by 11 after Round One.
It was a help to the Lady Dragons’ cause that they placed five players on the SHAC All-Conference Team, including the individual co-champions, Olivia Lewis and Nina McCann, who rallied from six and eight strokes down to be crowned champions along with their team.
After the September 11 first round, it was North Adams senior Emmy Holt on top of the leader board as she fired a38 on the Buckeye Hills course. One stroke behind after day one was Peebles’ sophomore Alyssa Smalley at 39 with West Union sophomore Annabelle McIntosh at 43, West Union’s Olivia Lewis at 44, and the Lady Dragons’ Eva DeMint sitting at 45. Junior Nina McCann shot 46, leaving her eight strokes to make up in the second round.
As a team, West Union led by 11 strokes after the initial round with a 178, followed by North Adams at 189.Peebles at 200 was tied for third with Fairfield.
The girls golfers gathered at Hilltop on September 17 for the tournament’s second and final round, one which saw quite an upheaval on the leader board. First off, the leader going in. North Adams’ Holt, struggled mightily in the second round, shooting a 50 that dropped her into second place overall. The biggest strides were made by West Union’s McCann and Lewis, who roared back to move into the top spot, McCann carding a 40 with Lewis a 42, leaving them deadlocked at 86 for the tourney and co-champions.
Smalley also had a tough second round, shooting a 49, which dropped her to 88 overall, tied with Holt for second place. West Union junior Emmy Stapleton moved up to the third place slot, shooting a 45 in round two for a total of 92, with McIntosh right on her heels at 93. The Lady Dragons continued their domination of the top sports as the sophomore DeMint claiming the next spot even after dropping to a 52 on the second day.
Adams County also produced two more golfers who earned All-Conference honors, North Adams sophomore Brooklyn Mahan (47-53) and Manchester freshman Peyton Hayslip (48-52).
As a team on day two, West Union just blew away the competition as they shot 177 as a team, tacking 37 strokes on to their lead as North Adams as a team shot 214 on day two.
2024 SHAC Girls Golf All-Conference Team: Olivia Lewis (West Union), Nina McCann (West Union), Emmy Holt (North Adams), Alyssa Smalley (Peebles), Emmy Stapleton (West Union), Annabelle McIntosh (West Union), Eva DeMint (West Union), Kelsie Crowder (Eastern Brown), Emmy Caudill (Fairfield), Brooklyn Mahan (North Adams), Peyton Hayslip (Manchester)
2024 SHAC Final Team Standings: West Union 355, North Adams 403, Fairfield 413, Peebles 415, Manchester 422, Lynchburg 452, Eastern Brown 531
